Communication

Communication is the process of transferring information from a sender to a receiver with the use of a medium in which the communicated information is understood by both sender and receiver. It is a process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding.


Communication is always explained in terms of different dimensions:

Content: What is communicated
Source: By whom the imformation is communicated
Form: By which form the information is communicated
Channel: What is the medium of communication
Destination: To whom the information is communicated
Purpose: Why it is communicated


Types of communication:

There are two major types of communication:Verbal and Non verbal

Verbal communication covers: Oral and Written communication
Non verbal communication covers Expressions, Body language and gestures.

Verbal and non verbal are not two distinct entities. Verbal communication cannot be conveyed without nonverbal clues. However, non-verbal communication can be conveyed without the usage of verbal clues. Any oral communication consists of body language, tone of speech and the actual words. It would be amazing to find out that, even in verbal communication, 50% accounts for body language, 40% accounts for the tone and only 10% accounts for the actual spoken words!!!!!


Communication is a skill, which includes the following:

·Expressive skills to convey the required information to others. This tells us about the emotions and feelings behind whatever is conveyed. This is useful in conveying information, which is very difficult to say.

· Listening skills helps in obtaining information from others. It is used to get information about others feelings, emotions and intensions. Listening skills include acknowledging, checking/finding out if you have understood the information properly and enquiry which helps in seeking specific information.

·Skills for managing the overall process and identifying the needed information. What information needs to be shared, How the required information should be sought etc.

Levels of communication:

There are 5 levels of communication and each level is used depending upon the intimacy of the relationship shared with the other person.

(1) CLICHES - Typical, routine, oft repeated comments, questions and answers given out of habit and with no real forethought or genuine intent. "How are you?" "Fine." "Having a good day?" "Yes."

(2) FACTS - Information/Statistics about the weather, the office, friends, the news, personal activities, etc. Requires no in depth thinking or feeling.

(3) OPINIONS - Includes concerns, expectations, and personal goals, dreams, and desires. Due to differences of opinion that naturally arise between two people, especially between men and women, this is typically the level at which we run into the "wall of conflict."

(4) FEELINGS - Having gone through the "wall of conflict" via applying the communication skills following, you both feel safe to share your deepest emotions.

(5) NEEDS - The deepest level of communication and intimacy where you feel completely safe to reveal your unique needs with each other. Truly, unless needs are known and met, two people interacting will remain "strangers."

Miscommunication:

It is the failure in communication. This failure in communication can be viewed as instances of action failure (when the speaker fails to produce the intended effect), misperception (when the hearer cannot recognize what the speaker intended to communicate), or both. Miscommunication can happen due to various factors like unclear messages, interrupting the speaker, distractions, lack of consistency in communication, misunderstood gestures, cultural differences that convey different meanings to different people etc.

Some tips for effective communication:
1.Be focused and clear: While communicating be clear and to the point. Avoid giving unnecessary details to the listener.
2.Know your audience: Your communication i.e. what is said and how it is said should be tailored to the audience you are addressing.
3.Active listening: Listen carefully to what is being said. Never be preoccupied with what may be said next. Ask relevant questions whenever you are in doubt.
4.Don’t dominate: While communicating with others always give chance for others to talk as well. It should always be 50-50% conversation between you and others.
5.Don’t assume: When the listener is silent, never assume that its approval or disapproval tow hat you are saying. It only means that the listener needs some time to think over it.

Amazing facts:

1.It is believed that human speech developed between the times of the Neanderthal Man (beginning in 100,000 B.C.) and the Cro-Magnon Man (beginning in 35,000 B.C.).
2.Humans can emit about 14 words per second.
3.Humans have three times more vocabulary at age 45 than at age 20.
4.The vocabulary of the average person consists of 5000 to 6000 words.

Thought provoking sayings on communication:

1. Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute. ~Josh Billings
2. The words you choose to say something are just as important as the decision to speak. ~Author Unknown
3. To be able to ask a question clearly is two-thirds of the way to getting it answered. ~John Ruskin